Test plate cleaner for type distributing machines



No Model.)

P. F. 00X. TEST PLATE CLEANER FOR TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINES.

No. 591,073. Patented Oct. 5,1897.

I II IHIIIIHIWIHIIW gl/ zlll/gglg Ilrrnn TATEs PAUL ELEMMINe COX, oEoIIIoAeo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ooX TYPE SETTING MACHINE COMPANY,sum PLACE.

TEST-PLATE CLEANER FOR TYPE-DISTRIBUTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591 ,073, dated October5, 1897. Application filed February 13, 1897- Serial No. 623,256- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL FLEMMING 00X, of Chicago, in the county of CookandState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Test-Plate Cleaners for Type-Distributing Machines; and I herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which formpart of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in typedistributing machines; and itconsists in a novel mechanism for cleaning the test-plates of themachine, designed to operate automatically and continuously during theoperation of the distributer and applicable especially to thetype-distributing machines shown in my Letters Patent Nos. 550,553 and550,555, dated November 26, 1895, and the later improvem ents sh own insubsequent Letters Patent.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter claimed, and a simple and effectiveform thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafterdescribed.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section through thetype-reservoir and test-plates of my improved type-distributing machine,showing the test plate cleaning mechanisms attached thereto. Fig. 2represents enlarged front and edge views of the test-plate brushes orrubbers.

In using type-distributing machines much trouble is eventually caused bydust, dirt, ink, &c., accumulating in the channels and clogging thetest-plates and slots so that the type will not pass therethroughfreely, and the cleaning of the test-plates by hand is a laboriousoperation and necessitates the stoppage of the machine. Myinventionkeeps the testplates continually clean and can operate during theoperation of the machine, so that no cessation of its work is caused bythe cleaning of the test-plates.

I have illustrated the cleaning devices applied to one of my ownpatented type-distributing machines, in which the cylindrical casting ghas a series of vertical undistributedtype-holding channels g in itsperiphery and is stationary over a rotary disk D, which carries a seriesof test-plates d and is rotated so as to successively register eachtest-plate with every type-channel'g in the casting g. Over the castingg is a larger casting G, also stationary and provided with suitableundistributed-type holders or channels registering with and formingcontinuations of the channels of casting g. Above casting G is a topplate which supports brackets carrying the driving and counter shafts OO of the machine. For convenience the shaft 0 is journaled above shaft 0instead of at one side thereof, so as to allow ample room for theoperating-levers Q of the test-plate-cleanin g devices to be adjustedand operate.

A detailed description of the construction andoperation of thetype-distributing machine is unnecessary, as my aforesaid patents fullydescribe a machine to which the device is adapted and because I do notlimit the use of the cleaner to any particular form of machine. 7

The test-plate cleaner consists of one or more vertically-reciprocatingslides P, which occupy one or more of the undistrihuted-type channels ofthe machine and project above the upper ends thereof and are provided ontheir lower ends with scrapers, rubbers, or brushes 1) of any suitableconstruction, which will effectively clean the test-plates and slotswhen pushed therepast.

The slides P are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the outerends of levers Q, fulcrumed on studs g on top of plate G and the inner'ends of levers Q overlie the shaft 0, which is provided with a quick-camor camrib QZ'so that at regular intervals the levers Q are rockedquickly, so as to depress slides P and force brushes 1) thereon quicklyinto slots D through or past test-plates d, cleansing the latterthoroughly. The slides are depressed only momentarily, and when the diskD has stopped with its slots D and test-plates in register with theholders, as before described. The'slides and brushes are instantlyraised. by means of springs R, interposed between plate G and the outerarms of levers Q, and guided by pins 0', as shown. Thus each test-plateis cleaned one or more times, according to the number of slides Pemployed for each revolution of disk D, and is effectually kept fromfouling. One or two slides P will be ample for an ordinary-sizedmachine.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction herein shown nor toan automatically-operatin g test-plate cleaner, (by which I mean acleaner which operates only during the operation of the machine,) sinceobviously the device could be easily made separable from the machine andapplied thereto only when the test-plates become clogged, therebyallowing the channels occupied by the slides to be meantimes used forundistributed type, like the others.

Having thus described my invention, What I therefore claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. The combination With a type-distributing machine, of meanssubstantially as described for cleaning the test-plates while themachine is in operation, all substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The combination with the reservoir, and test-plates of atype-distributing machine, of means substantially as described forautomatically cleaning one or more test-plates of the machine when andwhile the type-channels of the reservoir and test-plate are in register,during the operation of the machine,

all substantially as and for the purpose de-' scribed.

3. A device for cleaning test-plates of typedistributing machines,consisting of a testplate-cleaning device adapted to be slipped intoatype-channel of the machine, and means for reciprocating saidtest-plate-cleaning device past the test-plate, when the test-plateregisters with the channel, for the purpose and substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with the undistributedtype reservoir and thetest-plate disk of a type-distributing machine; of one or moretest-plate-cleaning rubbers or brushes in one or more of thetype-channels of the reservoir, and means for reciprocating said rubbersor brushes past the test-plates so as to clean them 'When thetype-channels and test-plates are in register, all substantially as andfor the purpose described.

5. The combination with the undistributedtype reservoir, and thetest-plate disk below the reservoir, and means for moving one of saidparts in relation to the other so as to cause the test-plates tosuccessively register with the type-channels of the reservoir; of one ormore Vertically-movable slides in one or more of the type-channels,provided with test-plate-cleaning rubbers or brushes on their lowerends; oscillating levers connected to the upper ends of said slides, anda cam and springs for oscillating said levers when the test-plates andtype-channels are in register, all substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two Witnesses.

PAUL FLEMMING COX.

Witnesses:

E. A. HOMAN, ORVILLE D. ORTON.

